


In the Ashes

by TheJadeSongbird



Category: RWBY
Genre: AU by the end of V3, Multi, Ozpin uses they/them pronouns, time-travel
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-01-24
Updated: 2016-05-12
Packaged: 2018-05-16 01:33:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 7,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5808163
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheJadeSongbird/pseuds/TheJadeSongbird
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>People change, but Cinder's heel-face-turn came far too late for a redemption. </p><p>Hestia Xiao-Long's redemption has been fifteen years in the making.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prelude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Edits made as of March 26th, 2016

She dreams of fire. Fire and destruction and screaming.  
  
Vale burned. Beacon burned.  She has the power she wanted, but the burning in her veins aren’t of the pleasure of success, but that of malcontent. That of that burning hunger that didn’t go away after killing Amber.  
  
If anything, it only increased.  
  
She dreams of rage, and pain. She dreams of _falling_.  
  
_I want this.  
I want to be strong.  
I want to be feared.   
I want to be powerful.   
I want…  
  
I wanted…  
  
_ She dreams of being cut down, her own flames shunning her and collapsing to the ground. She dreamt of her eyes closing, and as sleep fell away from her, golden eyes snapped open with a force that required her to blink briefly.  
  
She stared at the ceiling above her.   The stucco bumps stared back with equal vigor and she sighed, wiping the sweat-damp hair out of her face.  
  
_Another nightmare. How… annoying._  A glance at the clock told her that it was early yet. There were the faint sounds of chatter from downstairs and the faint smell of something cooking.    
  
It was early yet—and the nightmares didn’t usually wake her up.  
  
_So why am I awa—ah. I see.  
_  
The door flew open with a bang—crashing against the wall as in a flurry of rosepetals, a small form gracelessly jumped on her and beamed. “HEEEEESTIIIIIAAAAA! GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT?”   
  
“Hello, Ruby.” Her head fell back against the pillow and she closed her eyes, grinning. “It’s too early for guessing games.”  
  
“GUESS WHAT GUESS WHAT?” The chanting continued uninterrupted from above her, and Ruby Rose began to shake her shoulder to get her to respond.  
  
_Of course she’s excited. Why am I surprised?_  
  
“Did Dad made strawberry pancakes?”  Now that she was waking up, the smells of the downstairs better floated through the door.   


“NO—“ There was a pause. “WAIT—Yes! But that’s not what you’re supposed to guess.” Hestia chuckled, rolling slightly to move the younger girl off of her before ruffling her hair. “Siiiiiis—“  
  
“Well then, Little Rose. Does it involve that Dust shop downtown getting robbed?” Ah, she loved seeing her sister blink in confusion when she revealed information she shouldn’t know.   
  
She was too good at that. Then again, she really _shouldn’t_ have known this. She wasn’t pulling the strings this time—which meant somehow, the White Fang had recruited Roman Torchwick and had him stealing dust.  
  
“How did you know?”   
  
_I run a minor spy network looking for things that could break the world. It’s hardly a big deal._  
  
“I have my ways.” She gave a cryptic smile in response, and the young girl groaned.  
  
“You sound like Uncle Qroooow—“ Hestia had to keep herself from sneering. She didn’t particularily like Qrow Branwen.  Qrow Branwen was a drunk _ass_ who made far too many mistakes and--  
  
“I got accepted into Beacon!”   
  
_Thank you for cutting off my inner tirade._  She was fortunate enough that neither of her sisters had picked up on her utter disdain of their ‘Uncle’. _  
  
_ “Aren’t you a bit…young?” Hestia asked delicately, still smiling faintly.  
  
“I beat up this criminal and I was like hi-yaaaaaa, pshaaaaaaw—“   
  
_I would pay good money to see Roman’s face. Did she even land a hit on him?  
  
_ “—Professor Ozpin was impressed and asked if I wanted to skip ahead and of _course_ I said yes! It’s going to be so _cool—“  
  
_ “Leaving me behind, Little Rose? We _are_ the same age.” Ruby seemed to falter at that.  
  
“I mean, Sanctum is a really good school too and you could join Yang and I at Beacon when you grad—“  
  
 Hestia cut her off, before reaching over to her bedside table and pulled out an envelope.   
  
“Fortunately for me, it just so happens that Haven has accepted my request for early enrollment. I’ll be flying for Mistral in a—“  
  
The squeaks of happiness were deafening.  Hestia just laughed and pulled her sister into a hug.  
  
“SIIIIIS---WE’RE GOING TO BE HUNTRESSES AND THIS IS GOING TO BE SO AWESOME!”  
  
_I want to be strong.  
I want to be feared.  
I want to be powerful….  
  
_ The ever burning hunger of the unwanted half-fragments of the Autumn Maiden’s power combined with the echoes of a lost time caused her to pause.   
  
_I want prevent the mistakes of the past.  
I want my family to be safe.   
_  
“I want pancakes.” She rolled out of bed, narrowly avoiding knocking Ruby to the ground. “Have you eaten them all, gremlin?”   The look of indignation as she grabbed her bag was _always_ worth having to get up.  
  
“I am _not_ a gremlin!”  
  
“Oh? Just like how you’re _not short_ —“  
  
“Fun sized!”  
  
“—not a nerd—“  
  
“It’s a valid reason to love weapons as a future huntress!”  
  
“--and _not a crook”_  
  
“I—hey!”  
  
“You weren’t hired to take down that criminal. Technically that’s illegal.” Hestia chuckled at the pout on Ruby’s face before she took off downstairs in a blur.  
  
“YAAAAAAAAANG, HESTIA’S BEING RUDE!” She could hear Yang’s snort of amusement.

“What did she do, steal all your cookies? That’s crumb-y of her!”  
  
“YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAANG---“   
  
“I simply pointed out the fact that she vigilante-d her way into Beacon” Hestia followed in Ruby’s wake, sitting across the kitchen table from Yang. “Good morning, by the way. Nice pun.” She turned, tilting her head. “MORNING DAD”  
  
“MORNING SPARKY” Came the return from the kitchen.

“HOW DO YOU FEEL ABOUT YOUR YOUNGEST BEING A CRIMINAL?”  
  
“SHE’S PART XIAO-LONG, IT’S IN OUR GENES!”  
  
“HEY!” Ruby had a semi-permanent scowl on her face. “I am _not a crook”  
  
_ “You vigilante’d a robber, Yang blows up bars—“ A grunt from Yang  “Dad is _dad_ and I am the superiest super spy that ever existed.  We’re all crooks.”  
  
Ruby huffed. Hestia chuckled and ducked into the kitchen, grabbing the stack of pancakes and greeting Taiyang with a hip bump.  
  
“I got my Haven letter.” He nodded and smiled down at her.  
  
“All my children are leaving the nest. How will I survive?” It’s good natured drama and Hestia bumps at him again.  
  
“Go on missions. Teach. Make friends?” She wasn’t being subtle.   
  
_Come on, Dad. Please?_  He caught her expression and sighed.  
  
“I’ll think about it.”   
  
“That’s all I can ask.” She smiled and skipped back to the table.  “So~! One month until Rubes and Yangarang start at Beacon, and two weeks until I get shipped off to Haven!”  
  
“Why are you going across the planet for school when you could just go with us to Beacon?” Yang dug into her pancakes as Ruby poured half the container of syrup on hers. Hestia didn’t even think through her response. She probably should have—but didn’t.  
  
“Because your Headmaster is shady as fuck and probably arranges teams according to who they think would be romantically compatible?” There’s a choked cough from the kitchen.  
  
“SWEAR JAR. NO SWEARING!”

“Ruby, It was _one f-bomb_!” The jar is thrown at her head regardless- caught easily and she grumbled as she rifled through her bag for change.  
  
“And Mistral has Emerald.” Hestia said. “And Mercury. Those two will blow up Haven if I’m not there.”   
  
Both of her siblings winced.   
  
“And knowing us, if you went to Beacon, the world would end.”  Yang said hesitantly, followed by a sigh from Ruby.  
  
“Yeah…”   


****  
**                                                                                      **

“How did you do that?” She didn’t need to see her face to recognize that tense posture. The green hair and the unconscious hand falling towards the pocket where her ill-gained ring was undoubtedly hidden.  
  
Emerald Sustrai turned to look at her, before backing away and moving to pull out her weapons. Hestia shook her head and held up her hands in a sign of peace.   
  
Don't.” Calmly. Quietly. “Just don’t. I have relatives that are scarier than you.”   There are footsteps in the distance and the sound of rushing guards. “Unless, of course, you want them to hear you?”  
  
“What do you want?” She’s so _young_. Well, relatively anyways. Hestia never had realized how young Emerald and Mercury had been—for all they’d been through, they were still children.  
  
They’d been casualties of Cinder Fall, all the same.  Hestia pushed herself off the wall.  
  
“I told you already. Is it a semblance?” The expression of surprise on Emerald’s face was eternally more painful than that of Ruby. Ruby’s secrets never risked her getting killed. Emerald’s semblance was her key to _surviving._  
  
“Wh--I didn't do anything!” She backed up again. “Just leave me alone!”   
  
“Relax. I haven’t told anyone else.” Hestia channeled the same calming tones she used to comfort her sisters.  “I know my fair share of liars and thieves—it’s something I’ve done myself. Stealing is an art of patience, coordination, and in a pinch, sleight of hand. But you didn't _steal_ the ring in your pocket, not in the usual way.”  
  
That oh-so-young look of panic again. Hestia winced internally.  
  
_I promise that I won’t hurt you. Not again. Never again.  
_  
“You took it right before the jeweller's eyes. _And he smiled._ “ Emerald’s eyes widened to almost impossible size, and her hands twitch as so to betray the urge to shoot first and ask later.   
  
“Who _are_ you?”   
  
_Maidenbane, Caller of the Grimm Dragon…._  
  
She curtseyed.  
  
“Hestia Xiao Long. Tell me, have you ever considered becoming a Huntress? You’ll never go hungry again.”  
  
“Xiao Long—like -- ‘One Man Army’ Xiao Long?” She looked awed and certainly wary. Taiyang had a certain reputation for being a stone cold badass.  Hestia just shrugged.  
  
“He’s a dork.” She said. “A dork who likes exploding things and making dad jokes.”  
  
“What are you doing in _Mistral_? You’re a long way from Vale.”

“Huntress Training. Want to join me? You’d be very good at it, I suspect.” 

****  
  
** She remembered this too well. The fire and the injured boy with his legs torn apart by flame and debris and fighting.   
  
“What are you looking at?” He’s also very young, and no matter how cocky and confident he pulls off, Mercury was still only 16—only a few weeks from his birthday and less than a year and a half from the Battle of Beacon.  
  
_I will teach you to overcome this._  
  
“For.” Hestia stepped forwards.  “Marcus Black?” Mercury seemed to grimace, and with blooded expression gestured over to the corpse away from them. “I see.”  
  
_Good Riddance._ Even Fall had noted the aftermaths of that man’s abuse in Mercury. She just hadn’t cared.   
  
“That’s…the assassin?” Emerald glanced over from her position behind Hestia. She’s curious—Hestia doesn’t blame her. She’d been dragged across the continent on one of Hestia’s information tip offs, and this was the result. Hestia glanced over at the corpse.  
  
_I won’t let anyone hurt you again._  She looked back to the boy.  
  
“My name is Hestia Xiao Long.  You fought well—we saw it from the treeline.” Mercury looked wary.  
  
“As in—“ Hestia chuckled. “Guess so.”  
  
“What’s your name?” The wary look increased. Emerald shuffled from behind her.  
  
“…Mercury.” Hestia smiled, nodding in approval.  
  
“Luck and trickery. It suits you.  What do you fight for, Mercury?” He doesn’t get to answer before he collapses to the ground—injured legs giving out. Hestia’s at his side in a flash. “Trust me. You’re safe now.”  
  
“Get away from me—“ a cough. Emerald moved to stand by them.   
  
“He’s injured badly.” Hestia nodded.  
  
“Mercury Black. Emerald and I are going to get you to safety, and you’ll recover from this—become stronger than you ever imagined.”   
****  
**  
  
She didn’t—in the end— go about recruiting Torchwick. That man was a mess in and of himself. That being said, apparently someone had done so.  
  
It bared investigating. She couldn’t have someone destroy what she was working for after all.  
  
“Do you think that you’ll end up on a team with your friends?” The smell of dish soap filled the air as Ruby passed her a plate to be dried. Hestia simply shrugged, taking it and wiping it down with a towel.  
  
“I hope so. It would make things certainly easier in the long run—although I might have to deal with their PDA.” Ruby scrunched up her nose.  
  
“You didn’t say they were _dating!_ ”  
  
“Trust me, Little Rose, the UST is overpowering. They’ll end up together.”  
  
“Uuugh.” Another dish was passed over. “Hey, Hes’?”   
  
“Yes Ruby?”  
  
“Do you think Yang and I will end up on the same team?” Hesitantly. Hestia put down her drycloth and turned to face her sister. “I mean, people are _gah_ and hard to talk to…”  
  
“I think you’ll have a wonderful time at Beacon.” She said. “Full of laughs and adventures and _friends._ You’re going to do amazingly.”  
  
“Promise?” Silver eyes looked up at her pleadingly. Hestia simply held out a pinkie finger in response.  
  
“Pinky promise.”.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> EDIT: Edits made as of March 26th, 2016

 

The airdock was crowded. Hestia was in no way the only student from Vale learning abroad at Haven—and Vale’s central location made it the perfect connection hub between the other kingdoms.  
  
“Don’t go.” Small fingers wove their way into Hestia’s jacket as Ruby wrapped her arms around her sister, clutching tightly. Hestia blinked, before shifting to crouch down to her sibling’s level, a quiet conversation taking place between the two of them.  
  
Taiyang watched on, leaning against a pillar.  
  
He had always been grateful that Hestia got along with Ruby and Yang—going as far as to take them under her wing and distract them during the bad days where Taiyang could barely even get out of bed. Losing Raven had been one thing, but losing Summer while his final teammate turned to alcoholism had taken the anxious depressive quirks he’d learned to deal with as a child and amplified past the point that he couldn’t shake them off so easily.  
  
There was guilt there—a lot of it-- that he’d had to rely on a child with too-old eyes and an alcoholic grieving huntsman to all but raise Ruby and Yang. Or maybe it was irony that it was _those two_ of all people who took up task.  
  
Summer had been four months pregnant and it had been raining when he first met Hestia. The house had smelled of melted chocolate and baking sugar when the door had opened in a flurry, revealing a red-eyed huntsman and the tiny bundle in his arms.  
  
_“Come on, Tai. What kid would grow up right with me as a father?”_  Taiyang hadn’t been impressed. It reminded him far too much of Raven leaving him and a newborn Yang behind.  
  
Summer, however, had simply lifted the infant into her arms and sung lullabies to her—raised her with Yang and later Ruby with love and care and fairy tales.  
  
Fifteen and a half years later, Taiyang watched as Hestia pulled Ruby into her arms, brushing the hair out of her face with a small, sad smile.  
  
“Haven isn’t too far away, Little Rose.” A quiet chuckle. “We have scrolls and letters, and I’ll text you every day with random things.”  
  
It was funny. She’d been almost touch-phobic as a child, flinching away from all contact and hiding behind the couch. It had taken years for her to get used to other people, and now more often than not—she was the one to initiate hugs.  
  
“Are you going to send me cat videos?” A sniffle from his youngest, who reached up with her sleeve to wipe at her own eyes.  
  
“I think we get enough of those from Dad, don’t you?” Both girls glanced over at Taiyang, who made a goofy facial expression. Ruby laughed, and Hestia just smiled and nodded. “I’ll do you one better—I’ll take a picture of all the awesome weapons I come across.”  
  
“Would you?” Hopeful silver eyes—Summer’s eyes, looked up at Hestia. Ambergold eyes—brighter than scarlet—narrowed in a smile. Hestia ruffled Ruby’s hair.  
  
“Weapon nerd. Of course I will.”  
  
“You’re the best!”  
  
“She’s pretty damn great if I do say so myself.” Taiyang stretched from his position on the wall and moved over beside them, wrapping both of them in a hug.  “I’m proud of you. Of all of my daughters.”  
  
“Even if Yang is late with Starbucks?”  
  
“Sorry I’m _latte_ , the _espresso_ lane was busy.” Yang chose that moment to appear with the drinks in hand. Taiyang grinned as his youngest let out a groan. He’d trained her well.  
   
“Yaaaaaang—“ Ruby broke off from the hug to grab her own coffee. “Cream and five sugars?”  
  
“Sweeter than sugar—which there’s a lot of in there.” Hestia pulled the second coffee from the tray, handing it to Taiyang before retrieving her own tea.  
  
“Thank you, Yang. You’ll keep an eye on Ruby at Beacon?” Yang grinned and let out a fake sigh of frustration.  
  
“Well, _eye_ suppose so.”  
  
“Yaaaaaaaaaang—“  
  
“I love you all.” Taiyang looked over at Hestia, who was shaking her head in amusement. “And I’ll miss you all terribly.”  
  
“Will you be visiting?” She caught Taiyang’s double meaning—not just for the holidays, but for the Vytal Festival.  He didn’t even bother pretending at this point that she didn’t know that schools were sending their teams to participate in the tournament.  
  
She knew everything, and he couldn’t shake the feeling she was holding too much to herself.  
  
“Definitely.” She stepped over and pulled him into another hug as the bell rang to signal last boarding.  “Okay nerds, give me a hug before I go.”  
  
“Hestiaaa—“ Ruby near tackled her as she reached out an arm to pull Yang into the hug.  
  
“Stay safe, sis?” Purple eyes caught amber.  
  
“Definitely. Don’t break too many hearts?”  
  
“It’s the Xiao Long genes—it’s not my fault if they can’t handle me!”  
  
“So it’s dad’s fault then?”  
  
Taiyang laughed.  
  
***  
  
It became easier for her to breathe when the airship took flight, shaking off gravity for transport. Her heart rate slowed and for a moment—she could believe that she was just another student going to school.  
  
Not an ex-villain trying to save the world from itself.  
  
“Hey.” Hestia jumped, spinning around and almost falling over—caught by the wrist and tugged back up. “Aren’t you a little _young_ to be going to Haven?”  
  
“Aren’t you a little far from Mistral, _Emerald?”_  
  
“I got out of ‘visiting family’ early. Decided to travel a bit before heading to Haven. Have you heard much about it---I haven’t.”  
  
_Mistral is quiet. Little-to-no signs of White Fang. Haven is the same._  
  
“I haven’t either. And what about your boyfriend? In the bathroom tidying up after being dragged into a closet?”  
  
“Mercury is _not_ my boyfriend.”  Hestia got a glare for laughing under her breath.  “I mean it!”  
  
“If you say so. Where _is_  lover-boy?” The eye twitch was worth the comment.  
  
“His train from the port got laid up. You know, from the 'shopping expedition in Atlas' you sent him on?” Expedition was a misnomer. It was a spy mission. He’d been looking at the security of the weapons tech there to make sure it couldn’t be stolen this time around.  “He’ll be meeting us in Mistral.”

“Mercury's unique...training… makes him capable of blending in with the locals.” She said simply. Hestia hadn't been lying when she said that he was good. Subterfuge was valuable tool for assassins. “How’s his condition?” Emerald seemed to relax at that—a good sign.  
  
“Unharmed. It was an in and out job.”  
  
“Excellent.” Hestia smiled. “You two have done well. For now, we can just relax. Be students.” She turned to look out the window. They’d passed the majority of the landmass on their side of Remnant—the Meridian Strait between Vale and Mistral on the horizon line.  
  
“And then? What after?” Hestia looked back at Emerald, who was watching her with that near ever present expression that meant she was trying to figure her out.  
  
“Don’t think about that. Leave it to me, Emerald. “ Hestia turned, stepping back over to Emerald and taking her hands in her own. “Just become strong with me—and Remnant will never need to fear. Do you trust me?”  
  
“What kind of question is that?” The thief looked startled.  
  
“An honest one.”  
  
“Of course I do.”  Hestia smiled again, reaching up and ruffling her hair lightly. Emerald only slightly protested at that.  
  
“Thank you, Emerald.”  
  
_I won’t let you down._

***

  
The walls around them were old and full of cobwebs, while the tunnels ahead narrow and dim. They’d been separated at the docks and lead here. Hestia waited patiently as the intercom above her head—the only sign of modern technology here.   
**  
Future guardians of Remnant. Welcome to Haven. Your initiation is about to begin. You have been split and placed among the Labyrian Ruins— Mistral’s largest ancient temple--full of Grimm and shadows alike.  Each of you has been given part of a riddle. You are to delve into the maze and find the other part of the riddle. In order to escape, you’ll have to work with others to solve the puzzle. That being said, the first person you run into in the maze will be your partner for the next four years. Good luck.**  
  
Silence. Her ears rang from the lack of noise—the only sign of life being her own heart beating.  
  
Another crackle.  
  
**Begin.  
**  
Hestia pulled her swords—Clotho and Lachesis -- from their sheathed position and took off into the darkness of the labyrinth. Her first opponent was Grimm—a Creep that charged at her from the darkest of corners in an attempt to overrun her.  
  
Hestia jumped, pushing off of a wall to ram the blade of her swords through the cracks in its natural armour. It _screeched_ and kicked at her, an action which she promptly returned before flipping it and stabbing it through the chest. It dissipated into dust.  
  
Left. Right. Left, left. She could have sworn remembering a tale where if you turned only right—it took you right to the exit of the maze.  
  
Hestia was shaken out of her reverie by a choked squawk as she spun around to find a smaller sized nevermore pinned to the wall and dissolved to dust. Green eyes stared back at her from behind black bangs—hair tied up into pigtails with white ribbons.  
  
_What the fuck?  
  
_ The sound of a whiteboard echoed through the tunnel, before being held up by the girl.  
  
****_Neopolitan. I guess we’re partners?_

 

 


	3. Chapter 3

“Soooo, it's a gun gun?”

“What- no! It's—that's not a thing!”

“Man, it's totally a thing.”

“Just because something is vaguely gun shaped—doesn't mean it's a gun shift--” A crackle of energy and a beowolf was stabbed through the chest with a current of electricity. Laughter echoed from behind him.

“Woah—it's a polearm too?” The teen beside him slammed a nevermore into the wall with a combination attack of bullets and bludgeoning via staff.

“Guandao.” Neptune Vasilias corrected his newfound partner. “It's also a trident.”

“Dude—that's sick.” His partner—unmistakeably faunus judging by the tail-- rifled through his pockets and pulled out the paper given to each student at the beginning of initiation. “What's your riddle? Did everyone get the same one or what?” Neptune pulled out his own paper.

 

_In the dark night flies a many-hued phantom._

_It soars and spreads its wings_

_above the gloomy mortal crowd._

_The whole world calls to it,_

_the whole world implores it._

_At dawn the phantom vanishes_

_to be reborn in every heart._

_And every night it is born anew_

_and every day it dies!_

 

“....a bird?” Sun frowned. “Nah—birds don't die and come back to life. Except for phoenixes.”

 

“Phoenixes aren't real.” A pause. “You _do_ know that, yeah?”

 

“Pssh, yeah,  of _course_ I know that.” The arrival of new Aura caused them to both look up.

 

“What a pair of a-holes.”  They'd been found by another pair-- a teen with red hair and a cutlass in one hand, shadowed by a taller boy with a fullblade strapped to his back. “I'm Scarlet, this giant is Sage. Who the hell are you?”  
  
“Neptune Vasilias” “Sun Wukong” Both spoke simultaneously,  giving eachother confused looks when the other spoke.   
  
“Yeah, sure.” Scarlet turned to look back at their end of the tunnel. “Nothing back there—we already checked for corners.”  
  
“Wait, but we just came through from our end—“ Neptune looked back at Sun. “Did we miss a tunnel?”   
  
Sun shrugged and grinned.   
  
“Only way to find out is to go look.” The monkey faunus turned and bolted back the way they came.  
  
“Wh—Sun! Don’t—Agh!” Neptune chased after him. Scarlet looked up upon hearing Sage laugh.  
  
“What’s that?”  
  
“Thousand lien they end up dating.”  
  
“That’s a sucker’s bet.” A chipper voice from behind the two made them jump, another party having joined them while they’d been talking.”   
  
“Dude, is that a hoverboard?” The green haired teen sighed.   
  
“Not a dude. Not a chick. And yes. It’s a hoverboard.” Scarlet blinked.  
  
“Sorry. Same. Dust?”   
  
“Psh’yeah—I’m Reese by the way. This is Arslan.” They jerked their thumb at the girl trailing behind them. “So—where’s the exit to this place?”  
  
An echoing screech down the corridor that Sun and Neptune disappeared answered them.  “Well. Sounds like someone’s kicking ass without us. Let’s go!”  
  
**  
  
Well it wasn’t an exit, but judging by the screeches of the monkey faunus and goggled boy—combined with the oversized Griffon trying to bite off their heads.  
  
Emerald pulled out her revolver-sickles, shifting them into grapple form before launching them to wrap around the neck of the Griffon. It screeched as it was pulled towards her, promptly getting its brains blown out by a sharp kick to the head from the side.   
  
“Well that was close.”  
  
“Mercury, I will _pay you_ to shut up.”   
  
“Nah” The griffon dissolved into dust as the pair looked up at the battleweary in front of them. “Seen an exit somewhere around here?”  
  
“No—“ Goggle boy leaned against his spear to catch his breath.  “This is the biggest room we’ve seen yet.”  Emerald stepped back to look around. The room certainly was wider than the halls by a long shot. Circular with strange tiling and patterns on the walls, the room had a  high domed roof and in the center rested a slightly raised platform. There were three hallways leading from the room, all branching into the darkness beyond.   
  
“It’s easily barricadable if we want to rest here.” She noted before looking up again. “Have you seen any other groups?” They’d run into a pair a good hour back—but they hadn’t had Hestia with them. It occurred to her that if anyone had a plan—it would be her. Judging by Mercury’s expression, his thoughts were along the same lines.   
  
“Yeah, two dorks named Scarlet and Sun. Why—looking for someone?”   
  
“Yeah…a friend of ours…”  
  
“DIE YOU DUMB BIRD!”   
  
“And speak of the devil and she shall appear.” Mercury caught sight of the commotion first, and was grinning. There was Hestia, riding in on a half-dead griffon that dissolved to dust just inside the chamber. A short girl skipped in after her, grinning. “What did the bird ever do to you?”  
  
“It tried to eat me. It had to pay.”   
  
“Hestia Xiao Long everyone. Total _dork.”  
  
_ “Can it Black.” Her sneakers hit the floor. “Hey Em, I take it you two got paired up?”    
  
“Unfortunately.” Hestia’s seeming partner grinned and wrote something on the whiteboard she carried.   
  
_You’re right, there is UST.  
  
_ “Why you—“  
  
“Emerald, Mercury—meet my partner, Neopolitan.  I’m sure we’ll be the _best_ of friends.” Her tone of voice, while not a threat, almost implied one. Emerald winced at that.   
  
“This isn’t the best time to try and kill eachother.” More arrivals—there was an even twelve people in the chamber now. “Names first—then we figure out how we’re getting out of here.”  
  
“Emerald.” Flatly. “Who put _you_ in charge?”  
  
“I nominate Scarlet! Oh, and I’m Reese, and this is Arslan!”  Emerald didn’t expect to remember all of these names she was being introduced to.   
  
“Does everyone have the same riddle?” Hestia was quick to step forward, holding up her paper. “We can’t advance without the answer.”  
  
“It’s not a bird.”  
  
“Or a phoenix.”  
  
“That’s a bird, Neptune. And not real.”  
  
“I know!”  
  
_“It soars and spreads its wings/above the gloomy mortal crowd.”_   Arslan murmured. “Metaphorically, heights are a symbol of something people reach for. Something people want.”  
  
“That…makes more sense.” Neptune said. “And it says apparently everyone wants it. Everyone…sad?”  
  
“Sad people want to be happy, yeah?” Reese was jumping to peek over people’s shoulders, regardless of the fact that she had her own paper.   
  
“It disappears at dawn, given to everyone…”  
  
“Another metaphor.” Hestia tilted her head. “Dawn—not as in the time of day, but in times of great darkness where people are looking for a way to succeed.”  
  
_You mean…you haven’t already figured it out?_  Everyone turned to look at Neo, who was still grinning.   
  
_Hope. The answer, is--_  
  
“Hope?” No one was sure who spoke the answer aloud, but when they did, the runes on the walls seemed to come to life, lighting up with a bright silver glow.  
  
***

  
  People. The runes seemed to form the shapes of people, and in their hands were the indents spotted earlier.   
  
“Mankind’s Hope.”  Hestia traced the runes lightly. “Does anyone know how old this maze is?”  
  
“It’s _rumored_ to have existed since the discovery of dust.” Bolin—teammate of Nadir said. “One of Remnant’s oldest structures—one of the strongholds that got overtaken by Grimm. It’s more of a legend at this point than fact though. A fairy tale.”  
  
That last statement didn’t faze her. She just tilted her head and chuckled under her breath.  
  
_All fairy tales are real._  
  
“So when it got refitted by Haven….” She turned around. “Dust. The indents are just big enough to fit dust crystals.”  
  
“And…that will get us out? Dust?” Scarlet looked skeptical.   
  
“It got our ancestors out. Why not us?”  
  
“Look! She’s right!” Reese had pulled a dust crystal out from their hoverboard and placed it in one of the wall sockets. It latched, the runes around it lighting up green.   “Hey, everyone, let’s do this!”  
  
One by one, those who had dust available activated the runes, and the chamber _shook._ The ceiling opened up, the twilight of the evening sky soaking into the walls as the the platform in the middle of the room glowed and twisted. It shifted, rock moving to form a giant staircase that pressed past the highest reaches of the Maze.   
  
There was a flicker of static in the air.  
  
**Congradulations, new students of Haven. Please ascend to the surface for team selection.**  
_  
_ The cheering was almost deafening.  
  
***  
The headmistress of Haven Combat Academy was a woman by the name of Athena Glaukopis—a name that implied a bright-eyed wisdom.   
  
Hestia’s first impression of her was that she had silver eyes—like Ruby. The impression caught her off guard, and she’d had to blink multiple times to steady herself as the woman bowed to the current team onstage.  
  
“--From this day forth—you will be known as team Auburn, lead by Arslan Atlan.” The letters ABRN appeared on the screen beside them.  “Congratulations, we expect great things of you all.”    
  
The audience clapped, and the team on stage smiled. Reese half tackled Arslan, laughing and cheering.   
  
“Team-mates! Team-mates!”   
“Neptune Vasillias, Sage Ayana, Scarlet David, Sun Wukong. Please step forward.”  Neptune and Sun both whooped simultaneously.  Scarlet sighed, followed by an amused looking Sage.  
  
“Of course we got put on a team with them.”  
  
“You four demonstrated courage and a willingness to take risks. While your teamwork could use work…” There was chuckling from those who’d been in the maze.  “I believe that you four will be a force to be reckoned with.”  
  
“From this day forth you will be known as Team Sun, lead by Sun Wukong.” SSSN. There were  of excitement. Sun was grinning wildly, practically vibrating in excitement.  Neo leaned over to Hestia, holding up her whiteboard.  
  
_Sun??? Not Season?_ Mercury saw the message and chuckled under his breath.   
  
“Sounds like Sin—ow!” Emerald had smacked his head. “I’m just stating the truth!”  
  
 “Would Emerald Sustrai, Hestia Xiao Long,  Mercury Black, And Neopolitan Sorbet please step forward?”  
  
_We’re on a team together?_  Hestia let out the breath she didn’t know she was holding. This was good—at least—it was for Emerald and Mercury. Neo was, and always had been, an unknown.    
  
_Why are you here?  
  
_ “Wait, your last name means _ice cream_?” Mercury got more glares.   
  
“To our knowledge, three of the four of you are already close—your teamwork solid. Normally, we’d encourage you to make new bonds….” Headmistress Glaukopis trailed off, smiling.   
  
_But…._  


“From this day forth you will be known as Team Honeybee, lead by Hestia Xiao Long.” She pressed on instead of answering. Hestia blinked, stunned.  
  
_What the absolute fuck is going on? Why did she pair us up then?_  
  
***  
  
“Aaaaaaah, our own dorm room!” Ruby jumped on her own bed. “Yaaaang, it’s so cool!” The shorter girl had been the first through the doors, followed by her amused older sister.   
  
“Geez, Ruby. Someone’s excited. Dibs!” Yang took the bed closest to the window, dumping her bag beside it.  
“It’s..rather cramped.” Ruby’s partner, Weiss, looked around the room with a disapproving frown.   
  
“Blake? What do you think?” Yang looked up at her partner, who’d sat down on a bed—remaining quiet. “Is it going to be good enough for you?”  
  
“Mm?” Blake looked up, cat ears twitching. “Oh. Yeah.”  
  
No one commented on the fact that one of the ears looked half maimed and torn.  


	4. Chapter 4

_She dreamed of fire. Fire and destruction and the feel of power burning through her veins as not ten feet away, Amber lies dead in what is now her metal coffin—arrow through her chest._  
  
_“The whole time…right beneath our feet.” She thought that the hunger would dissipate when she got the full powers. No—now it just burned in her veins. It felt good._  
  
_Cinder Fall looked up at the Headmaster of Beacon, smirking. “She was right about you.  Such arrogance.”_  
  
_“Arrogance is relative. I don’t doubt that she would think that of me,” there was a crackle of energy in the air, and Cinder just barely managed to dodge out of the way of a pillar of green magic that blasted at her. “I of course, disagree. It’s only arrogance if you don’t have the power to back it up.” And they do have it—power and magic in spades. She could feel it in the air, and all Cinder could think is that she wanted it. More power, ripped away from them and taken for herself. Wouldn’t that be glorious?_  
  
_“Power only exists if you use it, Professor. Your school is falling. Vale is burning. And you? You’ve done nothing to stop it.” Their eyes narrowed at that, and they sprung into action again. Cinder couldn’t help but laugh._  
  
_Salem had been right. People were so easy to manipulate._  
  
_Salem. A flash of black and red and the dream shifted as the air seemed to disappear from her lungs. The burning in her bones was gone leaving them feeling like they’d turn to ash any moment. She felt her chest explode with pain, heard the sound of a draconic roar, and the low haunting laughter of a person standing above her._

 _“It's unfortunate you were promised a power that was never truly yours,” Pain. Shooting, sharp pain that made her cry out. “But take comfort in knowing that I will use it in ways you could never have imagined.” The world shifts again, beginning to clear to awakening. The last thing she saw before was tired brown eyes, and the last thing she heard was a familiar baritone voice._  
  
_“Do you believe in destiny, Cinder Fall?”_  
  
**  
  
She woke with a silent scream, forcing herself not to move or make any noise that would disturb anyone else. It had taken years of practice to achieve, but to her, it was more than worth it. She couldn’t bother anyone with this—they’d ask far too many questions that she didn’t want to answer.  
  
The pain from the dream wasn’t gone though—it lingered under her skin, mixing with that ever persistent half-hunger that came with being half of a Maiden. It sucked—she hadn’t even _tried_ to get it this time. She’d woken up one morning and it was _there._  
  
_Please, just stop. Just leave me alone._  
  
On the side table beside her bed, she heard her scroll buzz. Hestia grabbed it before the ringtone would kick in, lowering the volume as she slipped out of bed and into the rather spacious attached dorm bathroom. The floor tile was cool against her skin as she sat down against one of the shower stall doors.  
  
Click.  
  
“Hello?” Her voice was hoarse from sleep and unwillingly tinged with the remnants of her nightmares.

“Hey Sparky,” Taiyang’s voice filtered through the receiver, warm and _safe._ “Rough night?” He’d picked up on her voice. He always did. Hestia shrugged, even though she knew that he wouldn’t see it.  
  
“Same old same old,” she said. “Bit worse because of the new scenery, but I’ll manage.” She heard him sigh, heard the faint rumbling of Zwei in the background—eating breakfast judging by the sound of dog food rustling in the food bowl. The nostalgia of home made her relax slightly.  
  
“Is there anything I can do?”  
  
“Just…this,” she said. “This is good. Just talking. It always has.”  
  
“Okay...” Taiyang’s voice was hesitant for a moment. “How was initiation?”  
  
“Haven is good. I’m on a team with Emerald and Mercury, and a girl named Neopolitan.”  
  
“Is she cute?” The grin was audible. Hestia laughed under her breath.  
  
“I hadn’t thought of it, to be honest. I’ll need to brush up on sign language—she’s mute, but uses a white board currently. Probably to make it easier for everyone to understand her.”  
  
“That’s fair. So, team name and leader?”  
  
“Honeybee, spelled HNBE. I’m the leader. It is me.” There was an inhale of breath on the other end.  
  
“I’m proud of you, Hestia. You and your siblings. You’ll all go far, I just know it.” Hestia smiled and leaned back against the doorframe.  
  
“I know, Dad. I know. Have you heard from Ruby and Yang yet?”  
  
“I have. They’re on a team together, team RWBY, with the Schnee Heiress and a faunus girl named Blake Belladonna.” Hestia blinked, starting slightly.  
  
Blake _hid the fact that she was a faunus_. That was common knowledge among the White Fang last time—it had annoyed Adam Taurus to no end. Then again, the man had had an unhealthy obsession with the teen—one that had made everyone around him cringe and avoid him at all costs.  
  
What changed?  
  
“—Ruby’s team leader. I think it will be good for her.” She tuned back into the conversation.  
  
“But you’re still worried.”  
  
“…fifteen is young.”  
  
“I’m only a year older.” Hestia pointed out.  Taiyang sighed.  
  
“You always seem older though. You have a maturity beyond your years. Ruby….”  
  
“…fairy tales. Romanticism. That’s her view of everything. It’s not _bad_ , she’s just…she’ll learn Dad. She will. And it won’t break her. I know it won’t.”  
  
“I hope not. “  
  
“..hey Dad?”  
  
“Yeah Sparky?”  
  
“Have you slept at all in the last 24 hours?” The silence is telling. “Dad. Go to bed. You don’t have classes today up at Signal. Get some rest, please.”  
  
“You’re a real mother hen, Hestia. “ he said, but it was fond, if slightly weary. “I’ll go after I walk Zwei.”  
  
“Good. Give him hugs from me, maybe a dog treat or five.” She heard him laugh.  
  
“We’ll see. Have a good day? And call your sisters?”  
  
“Of course. I did promise Ruby pictures of Haven’s weapons, did I not?” Another laugh was his response.  
  
**  
  
The sound of metal boots and metal blades rang through the sparring arena.

  
Hestia watched as Mercury’s leg shot out, aiming for Emerald’s head. She blocked it with her sickle and swiped at his standing leg with a chain. Mercury jumped, dodging it as his formerly higher foot planted to the ground. He followed through with a kick from the other foot.  Emerald ducked back, swiping once—twice, before dodging her partner who barreled forwards at her.  
  
They were many things: crass, snarky, a downright pain at times. That being said, both Emerald and Mercury were both _spectacular_ fighters and their movements were more graceful than any dancer--  
  
  
\--and more lethal than most weapons.  Ah, yes. That reminded her. Hestia reached into her bag, pulling out her scroll to take pictures for Ruby. She’d appreciate them.  
  
Mercury grabbed at Emerald’s wrist as she slid back and smirked. Hestia noted the faint blush from the girl before Mercury shifted his weight and threw her upwards. He was already preparing to kick at her—not giving her a chance to recover on landing—when she swung a chain to attach to the railing on the outside of the arena.  It clicked and clattered and wrapped around the metal as she used it to pull herself down. Mercury visibly realized his mistake at that moment, and with a narrowed gaze, moved to  
knock her down mid-air. Another clash, and Emerald caught his leg with the other sickle.  
  
Click. Hestia took another picture as the two were both knocked back by their own momentums.  
  
“Someone’s gotten better,” Mercury said lightly, getting to his feet. “How much training did that take you to be able to pull that off?” Emerald scoffed, dusting off her pants before raising her sickles again.  
  
“Bite me.” Mercury smirked and all but sauntered forward. Hestia watched as Emerald’s eyes narrowed. A glance to her scroll would tell her that Emerald’s aura flickered for a moment and dropped ever so slightly.  
  
Mercury’s kick missed, and he frowned.  
  
“Cheater.” Emerald just blew a raspberry at him in response, prompting a wave of laughter from the rest of the peanut gallery watching. They didn’t have to know what her semblance was to appreciate the banter.  
  
The arena erupted in a flurry of kicking, blocking, dodging—rinse and repeat. The sound of clashing metal grew to a crescendo.  
  
One of Emerald’s chains wrapped around Mercury’s left leg as his right collided with her chest. With dual thuds, both hit the ground—auras in the red.  
  
“You _ass—_ you kicked me in the boob!”  
  
“Padding?”  
  
“I will pay you to shut up!”  
  
“I think we can safely assume that that was the end of the match.” The teacher, a tall and broad shouldered woman with a calculating gaze and soft laugh. “Miss Sustrai, Mr. Black—you both did excellently. You’re a credit to your training.”  
  
Hestia chuckled under her breath as she sent off the pictures to Ruby. Professor Vasilias was a good woman, strong if her records meant anything.  
  
Neptune had paled slightly when he’d realized that he had a parent teaching his class. It had amused everyone else—teacher included.  
  
[to LITTLE ROSE] [SENT] Em and Merc being fighty dorks.  
[ATTACHMENT LOADED]  
[MESSAGE UNREAD]  
  
…strange. Hestia frowned slightly. Maybe her sister’s scroll wasn’t on? She couldn’t be sure—so she just pocketed her scroll and turned back to her teammates and the class.  
  
**  
[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] well    
[MESSAGE READ]

[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] haven is interesting  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to THE PRINCESS] [SENT] Ice Cream! You never call! You never write!  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] shut up you dweeb  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to THE PRINCESS] [SENT] –Gasp- I’m /offended/!  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] congratulations, you just lost any chance of me telling you about all the cute girls  
[MESSAGE READ]  
  
[to THE PRINCESS] [SENT] So there /are/ cute girls?  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] youll never know now. only BM and M&M will.  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to THE PRINCESS] [SENT] You assume they won’t tell me anything.  
[MESSAGE READ]

[to PUMPKIN PIE] [SENT] shoosh and tell me about everyone back at home  
[MESSAGE READ]  
  
**

It’s around dusk when the message switches from UNREAD to READ, and it was only moments later that Hestia’s phone rang.  
  
“Hello?”  
  
“Aaaaaaaaaaah, your friends are so _cooool--”_ Hestia couldn’t help but smile at that. “Who won who won?”  
  
“It was a tie, Little Rose.”  
  
“Oh _wow_!” The tiny sound of awe. Her sister was a dork.  
  
“How was your first day at Beacon, Ruby?”  
  
“It was goooood—I mean, I got into a fight with Weiss and she isn’t talking to me but—“  
  
“Slow down. Weiss Schnee? I know that from Dad. Why isn’t she talking to you?” She could practically hear the girl fidgeting.  
  
“ShethinkssheshouldbeteamleadernotmeandIwasjusttryingtohelp—“  
  
“Teams are selected for a reason, Ruby. If you were selected as leader, it means that your…headmaster...thought that you were a good fit, then they had a reason to.”  
  
“I mean, that’s what they said too….”  
  
_Oh god, why are those two interacting? Ozpin—go find another guardian. This is my sister.  
  
_ “They remind me of Uncle Qrow. Professor Ozpin?”  
  
“Do they?” Hestia leaned against the dorm window and listened to her sister prattle away.  
  
_We are in a time of peace. It may not last, but for now—we have peace._


End file.
